I am up before the sun again this morning and sitting out on our patio. I cannot see yet as it is too dark, but what I hear stirs my heart this morning.
I hear the waves lapping up against the shore.
The waves of Galilee.
The waves He stilled-and still controls.
The waves being moved by the wind He commanded-and still commands.
The verse that I studied over this morning is this...
``Thou art my God, and I will praise theee; thou art my God, I will exalt thee.`` Psalm 118:28
I don`t have to see to praise Him.
I don`t have to understand to lift up His name.
I don`t have to have it all figured out, cleaned up or in my order to exalt His name.
That is what the waves are whispering to me this morning.

What is on the agenda today?
We will be leaving our little resort by the Sea and making our way down south, anad yet up, to Jerusalem.
We will visit Beth Shean, where we will sit and learn in an amphitheatre, and we will be going to Gideon`s Spring where God culled out the men needed for the Lord`s battle--oh, that I would be one chosen!
Then on to Jerusalem.
On to Jerusalem...

Just got in from our third day in Israel. We left hotel at 8am and headed towards the Golan Heights.

Our tour guide, Yonni Simmons, gave his testimony. He is a Messianic Jew whose grandmother prayed him into his faith. What a powerful story! It was very touching and all our hearts were warmed by his willingness to share his story.

We visited the Tel Dan Nature Preserve. We had some great teaching and history lessons. We visited the archeological site of gates of Laish, the city Abram went to to rescue his nephew Lot when he was taken captive. We also saw the uncovered remains of the gates of Dan, the northermost city allotted to the tribe of Dan after entering the Promised Land. The first gate was 4000 years old,  the second was 3000 years old. We actually stood before the gate, in a place where Abram would have stood. 

We were given a very informative history lesson from our guide about the birth of the nation Israel. Some of the lesson even came with soudn effects--artillery fire from the other side of a mountain we we near. Really brought home the realization that this land of God is something the whole world wants, but it has been assigned to one people.

We also visited Banias, also known as Ceasarea Phillipi. Great teaching there on Jesus` words from Matthew 16!

Our next stop was lunch at the Berkat Ram restaraunt in Ma`esada. I tried a labne, which was alot like a quesadilla but filled with goat cheese and a olive relish of sorts. It was tasty.

We also spent some time at the Valley of Tears where Israel`s second largest war in its military history was waged.

I climbed to what seemed like the top of the world and visited the Coffee Anan shop on top of Mt Bental, where we could see the UN Headquarters in the buffer zone between Israel and Syria. We could see into Syria. We could also see signs along our route stating the danger of landmines, not a sight I am accustomed to seeing.

We are heading out to supper soon. I am so proud of all our travelers~everyone is getting along well, looking out for each other and are so very encouraging. No one is left behind and we are developing friendships that will last much longer than this trip.